Women’s co-op opens new art gallery

A collaborative approach and a smart use of space has helped to enable the creation of downtown Salmon Arm’s latest addition, the Lazuline Art Gallery.

Lazuline is operated by the Shuswap Women’s Art Collective, consisting of well-known local artists Linda Franklin, Wendy Browne, Lisa Figueroa, Janice Cleland, Tracey Kutschker, Frieda Martin, Rebecca Shepherd and Patricia Smith. Their work is available for sale in the gallery, and each of the artists is also available to do commission work.

The gallery space, located at 101 Hudson Ave., a short distance from the Salmon Arm Art Gallery and Figueroa’s studio/gallery, is unique in that it’s only used as a gallery during the day. In the mornings and evenings, with the help of some movable walls, the space transforms into the home of Cardio Connection, run by Franklin’s daughter Melissa Treleaven. Franklin said the multi-use concept makes it possible to run an art gallery in the downtown space, as the rent is shared with Treleaven.

“To me it was just like, oh my goodness, what a perfect place for the gallery, except of course you couldn’t pay the rent with a gallery,” laughs Franklin, explaining the gallery is operated as a co-operative.

“We started off this group, which is called Lazuline, as three women collaborating, so what we were doing was tryptichs, paintings in three panels and each artist would take a panel and it would be one scene. But others in our group, we want to collaborate on different stuff, so this gives us an opportunity within our group.”

Franklin said the gallery may look at inviting guest artists in the future, but they’re seeing how things go for now.

The Lazuline Art Gallery is currently open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 1 to 5 p.m., with a grand opening planned Friday, Aug. 10, from 7 to 9 p.m. This event corresponds with the opening of the Herald Nix exhibit Scenery at the Salmon Arm Art Gallery.

For more information, visit the Lazuline Art Gallery on Facebook, Instagram or at www.lazuline.ca.